


When You Wish Upon A Seed

by hyuckaboo



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Loneliness, M/M, minor magic, the real magic is friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:07:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27336907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyuckaboo/pseuds/hyuckaboo
Summary: Twenty-year-old Jeno is having a rough time, but he’s doing his best. It’s difficult enough to take care of himself, but when his grandmother gifts him a mysterious seed, Jeno plants it and finds that a houseplant can make good company. When the plant sprouts into a strange boy who claims he can grant wishes, things may finally be looking up.
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin, Side Huang Ren Jun/Lee Donghyuck | Haechan
Comments: 5
Kudos: 88
Collections: '00 FIC FEST ROUND TWO





	When You Wish Upon A Seed

**Author's Note:**

> (shotaro voice) make a wish~  
> '00 Fic Fest Prompt #00403  
> Thank you to Lexi (@rodr_lexi on twitter) for being a wonderful beta!

Many grandchildren might resent spending their only day off helping their grandparents clear out their attic, but not Jeno. He might have had plans to sleep in till noon then bother Donghyuck and Renjun at Ten’s café, but as soon as his grandmother called him at eight in the morning, he rolled out of bed, into his only pair of semi-clean jeans, and out the door. His grandparents were preparing to move south, into a retirement community, and Jeno would miss them terribly. If hauling some boxes around at their direction is one of the last things he’d get to do while spending time at their house, so be it. 

But it turned out that clearing out the attic would be less hauling boxes and more sorting out dusty trash from dusty treasure. It had been years since either of his grandparents were steady enough to climb the ladder up into the cramped space, and lack of human touch was very apparent. It was a bit of an overwhelming task, but Jeno was nothing if not reliable, so he rolled up his sleeves and went to work.

Somewhere between sorting old baby clothes into the give-away pile and broken lamps into the trash pile, Jeno came across a strange box. It was made from wood, carved with an intricate pattern, and painted with a gold border. It was a bit larger than a ring box but small and fancy enough that it was probably meant for jewelry of some type. It took Jeno a couple of tries to open it, stuck shut as it was with age, and he spent those moments imagining what sort of heirloom he’d uncovered. He was surprised and disappointed when it did open to reveal only a small bean of some kind, golden-tinged. 

Jeno almost forgot about the bean box as he turned to the rest of the electronics piled about and slipped back into his work. It caught his eye again on his way downstairs when his grandmother called him for lunch, and he grabbed the box to go ask her what it was.

She was surprised to see it, tracing over the designs with her fingers before handing it back to him with a smile. “Why don’t you plant it and find out, Jeno?” was all she would say.

And Jeno was a good boy and a dutiful grandson, so when he finally finished up in the attic, he did what his grandmother told him to do. He planted the seed in an old saucepan filled with dirt from the local park and put it on the windowsill of his bedroom where it would catch the sun. He put a post-it on his door to remind himself to water it each morning before he left for work, and before long he had a new daily routine. A quick watering in the morning, and then when it refused to sprout even after a month had passed, a second watering when he got home each afternoon. It was nice to have something living around the apartment besides Jeno and the mold growing on his bathroom ceiling. Jeno hadn’t realized how lonely his apartment was before, but then he had often gone to visit Renjun or Donghyuck when lonesome moods hit. Now he had another little friend to talk to. The morning sprinkle was a quick one, but in the afternoon, he would sit with the little plant-to-be and tell it about his day. He wasn’t sure if it was the extra water or the attention that finally coaxed it to sprout, but the day he woke up to a little shoot of green breaking through the soil, he almost cried with joy and pride. 

After that first sprout, the plant grew fast. It was only another week before a small bud formed at the top of the shoot. Jeno took so many pictures of the plant he nearly ran out of storage on his phone, and he tried to match it up with various plant species on an online botany encyclopedia, without any luck. He almost texted Donghyuck and Renjun to ask their opinions but stopped himself just in time. Like they needed something else to make fun of him about. 

Despite not sharing with his best friends, they did seemed to realize that something was up with him. He rarely came by the café anymore, despite having spent most of his afternoons there for the past year or so. And so Donghyuck did what Donghyuck did best, which was whine and wheedle and pester Jeno into doing what he wants, and Renjun just stood next to him looking disappointed in Jeno the whole time, and that was all it took. One Friday evening, best friends only, a night on the town—Renjun and Donghyuck would pick him up straight from work and they wouldn’t go home until the sun came up.

It was a wild time, wilder than Jeno had experienced since some very questionable parties in the one semester he had attended of college, but being with his best friends made it the best kind of wild. They danced, they drank, they sang in places and at volumes not well suited for midnight serenades, and Jeno barely remembered a thing after the third club of the night. 

But wild nights don’t come without lessons learned, and Jeno learned that his plant relied on the routine he had set up. When he returned on Saturday afternoon, after sleeping most of the morning away on Donghyuck and Renjun’s couch, it was to a dulled bud and a wilted stem in his companion’s pot. 

Jeno immediately panicked and flooded the pot with water, then panicked more and moved the plant and whatever soil he could salvage from the muddy mess to a temporary home in the last soup bowl he hadn’t yet managed to crack. He dashed to the nearest florist, a lucky three minutes away per his map app, and tried his best to explain his predicament to the boy behind the counter.

“Whoa, slow down there buddy. You drowned your flower, you said?”

“I didn’t water my plant yesterday, and it was so dried out looking today that I just over watered it, and then I dug it out and tried to move it, and now I don’t know what to do!” Jeno managed to articulate, and the boy, Yangyang, was able to work with that. He assured Jeno that most plants were hearty enough that a late watering and a few seconds of being overwatered wouldn't be enough to kill them.

“What kind of plant is it anyways?” Yangyang asked, and Jeno was a little embarrassed to admit he didn’t know—he showed Yangyang a picture, but the boy just frowned. “It’s so little at this stage that it really could be any number of things. But I think it’ll be fine! I am going to insist you get better potting soil and an actual, you know, plant pot for your little friend though.”

Chagrined, Jeno left the shop with a new, roomy pot and some soil that smelled horrible but which Yangyang promised would help his plant grow stronger. By the time he got the plant resituated in its new home, it was already looking greener than it had earlier. Jeno resolved to never miss another watering schedule again. 

Of course, this meant once again coming home straight after work and turning down his friend’s invitations to hang out. He felt a little bad about ditching them again so soon after their last talk, but his plant needed him. It recovered quickly and seemed to be growing even faster than before. It became a great listener when Jeno spoke, sometimes shifting a little like it was laughing at his stories. It was probably just Jeno breathing too hard when he chortled at his own jokes, though. 

Donghyuck and Renjun took a surprising amount of time to corner him about returning to his more isolated habits. It was Renjun who called on a Wednesday evening, interrupting Jeno’s impersonation of an angry customer to his captive audience.

“Hello? Renjun?”

“Jeno, come to the café.”

“Now? It’s getting late, I—”

“Now, Jeno.” Renjun hung up before he could ask anything else. Jeno frowned, unease swirling in his stomach. If something was urgently wrong, surely Renjun would have said something? Maybe it wasn’t something he could say out loud. What if he’d been kidnapped, or held hostage, and that’s why he couldn’t say anything more? 

Mind racing with increasingly unlikely scenarios, Jeno stuffed his feet into the first pair of sneakers he found lying on his floor, grabbed his keys, and gave the plant bud a peck goodbye. It was solidly fist-sized by that point, surely ready to flower any day. He’d better find out what was wrong with Renjun and hurry back fast, he would hate to miss it if tonight was the night.

Jeno walked into the café as the last patrons were starting to clear up and head out. He spotted Renjun and Donghyuck sitting at their usual table, both their faces unusually solemn as they waved. Oh god, had someone died?

“Hi guys… what’s wrong?” He slid into a seat across from them. 

Donghyuck opened his mouth as if he were going to start talking but then forgot to take the next step. After a few moments, Renjun pushed at his chin to close his mouth and sighed.

“Jeno, we wanted to apologize.”

Alarm bells began to blare in Jeno’s mind. What were they apologizing for? What terrible news were they about to break?

“Apologize for what, Renjun? Has something happened?”

Donghyuck looked like he was doing his best to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. “Jeno, we’re sorry for what happened last time we hung out. I know you’ve been avoiding us ever since, and we’re really sorry you had to find out like that. We really messed up by not telling you earlier.”

“Telling me what, earlier? Hyuckie, what’s going on?”

“What do you mean, what? That me and Renjun are dating! And we didn’t have a chance to tell you before you walked in on us making out in our kitchen that night.”

Jeno’s brain stalled momentarily. Dating? Hyuck and Renjun? He’d never even thought of that as a possibility before, it just didn’t compute. He felt a pang in his chest, an ugly sensation as an ugly thought flickered through his mind. He buried it deep. That could wait. 

“Um, guys, I barely remember anything from that night. I know we hit up at least three bars, but after that?... I just remember waking up on your sofa.”

Donghyuck went pale, and this time Renjun’s jaw dropped. They were silent for a few seconds. 

“Well,” Renjun started slowly. “In that case, I guess this is us formally telling you. We’re… dating. It hasn’t been for very long, I promise, we wouldn’t have kept you in the dark forever. We were just getting used to things first. Is… Are you okay with it? I promise, nothing about our friendship will change because of it.”

The ugly thought reared its ugly little head once more. They’ve always been a set of three. Do they not need him anymore? Are they going to leave, now that they have each other? Most couples don’t stay in their hometown to settle down forever.

Jeno probably looked a little queasy. Donghyuck grabbed his hand and squeezed. “Jeno, it’s true, nothing is going to change about us being best friends. We’re always going to want you around.” He paused. “Well, maybe not when we’re doing sexy stuff, but any time other than that.”

“Wait a second, if you weren’t ignoring us because of the kiss, then where the hell have you been for the last few weeks!” Renjun shed his mask of contriteness for one of righteous indignation faster than Jeno could blink. “What the hell, Jen!”

“Oh! Sorry about that, guys. I’ve been kind of preoccupied.”

“What the hell with? You haven’t mentioned anything that would keep you busy.” Donghyuck narrowed his eyes, and the grip he still held on Jeno’s hand started to feel like a threat rather than a comfort. “Are you the one hiding secrets from us, Jeno?”

“No, of course not!” Jeno laughed nervously. “You know me, I don’t have much going on. But, I recently started growing this plant? It’s just kind of sensitive and I almost killed it once, I’m just trying to pay it the attention it needs.”

“A plant?” Donghyuck sounded incredulous but yelped when Renjun elbowed him.

“That sounds nice, Jeno. You know, I read an article the other day that taking care of a houseplant can be really nice for people living alone, or feeling lonely? I think it’s great you’ve got one. Right, Hyuck?”

“Yeah,” Donghyuck grumbled, rubbing his side. “Neat. I’m so glad that you’ve been ditching us for a plant.” He was quick enough to block a second elbow attempt by his boyfriend. See, this dynamic is why Jeno was so caught off guard by them dating. 

“I’m sorry, guys, I might have gotten a little carried away, it’s just so new and it hasn’t even bloomed yet. But like… if you guys still make time for me, I’ll make sure to make time for you too, right?”

“Idiot, of course we’ll always make time for you,” Renjun scowled. “And you better return the favor. You are not putting fifteen years of friendship behind a potted plant, no matter how enriching it’s been.”

And with that deal struck, Jeno returned home, booked ahead for multiple catch-up and hang out sessions. Time would only tell how their friendship might change with the new dating revelation, but Jeno was determined to enjoy Renjun and Donghyuck’s company for as long as they stuck around. 

While he did worry that his split attention might slow his plant’s growth, it was soon made clear that this worry was completely unfounded. The bud was growing exponentially fast, larger each afternoon watering than it had been when he left for work, and larger still when he returned each evening from eating dinner with Renjun and Donghyuck with stories to share. He kept expecting it to bloom, but instead, it just grew larger and larger. By the time the bud was taller than his forearm and wider across than his face, he needed to return to Yangyang’s shop for a bigger pot. It couldn’t balance on his windowsill anymore, and Jeno needed to actually clean his room to make space for it on the floor where it could still get sun. 

He phoned his grandmother a few days after the upgrade. She berated him for not calling earlier; it had been several weeks since his grandparents moved, and while Jeno thought of her often, the thought of hearing her voice and knowing she was so many miles away made his stomach twist up. He’d kept putting it off.

Once he made apologies to her satisfaction, he broached the subject of the plant. 

“Gran, remember that bean-seed-thing I found when cleaning up your attic? What kind of plant is it for?”

She laughed. “Didn’t I tell you to plant it and see? I’m not giving any hints.”

“I did, though!” Jeno was not above whining, sometimes she thought it was cute. Unfortunately, this was not one of those times.

“Jeno, nothing worth having comes without hard work, and that includes knowledge. You are just going to need to wait.”

“Okay… but you would tell me if it were, like, a corpse flower or something right? I don’t know of any other flowers that get bigger than this. Just a hint?”

She laughed again and hung up on him. Sad, and a little unsettling. Does that mean it was a corpse flower? Maybe he should show a newer picture to Yangyang to see what he thought. At the same time, the thought of sharing his plant’s growth spurt with someone else made him feel uneasy. The plant was his, his roommate and companion, and he’d grown it himself. He didn’t want to share that, at least not yet.

And so, time went on. Jeno went to work each morning, hung out with Renjun and Donghyuck each day off, called his grandmother each Sunday. He watered the plant twice a day and talked with it each evening. And the plant continued to grow, and grow, and grow. 

And then, one day, he got home from work to find his plant gone. In its place, sitting perched on the windowsill, was a boy with soft pink hair, a wide smile, and not a stitch of clothing.

“Welcome home, Jeno!”

Before Jeno had dropped out of college he had taken a psychology course he was unusually interested and invested in. There was a term that came to mind at that moment that perfectly described what he was feeling. Cognitive dissonance. Surprise and alarm from one part of his brain at coming home to find a naked stranger on his windowsill, which makes sense. But he also felt absurdly happy to see him. It felt like being reunited after years apart, but how could that be right? He was a strange, naked, pink haired man. He felt very familiar but Jeno was absolutely positive he’d never seen him before.

There were many logical questions Jeno should probably have started this conversation with, but he chose, “Would you like some clothes?” After all, this guy was mooning anyone who might think to look up at his fifth-floor apartment window.

The stranger smiled wider. Wow, those were some shiny teeth. “Yes, please! Could I wear that purple pajama set you like?”

Jeno fetched the pajamas before he could let himself think about the implication of that request, adding a pair of clean boxers as well. Before he could usher his guest into the restroom to change, he started pulling on the clothes right there. Which, fine, it did mean remedying the naked-in-front-of-an-open-window thing faster, though it was still weird. But it was a lot easier for Jeno to focus on the sorts of things he should be asking, now that there was no nudity to distract him. 

“So, who are you? And how did you get into my apartment?”

“I’m Jaemin! And you brought me here? Planted me and everything. I’m sorry I bloomed while you were out, I know you had been looking forward to it… I tried to hold back but it was the right time.”

That was a lot to process. Jeno could see the planter tipped over on the ground, soil spilled all around it, but no plant to be seen.

“You don’t exactly look like a flower?”

“I’m a wish seed! We bloom into this form once we’ve gathered enough energy.” Jaemin made a ‘ta-da’ gesture, wiggling his fingers, and laughed. “We’re not very good at talking and granting wishes otherwise, you know.”

“Wishes?”

“Yeah! You cultivated me from a seed, which means you get to have a wish granted. Any wish you like, Jeno, and I can make it happen.”

At this point, cognitive dissonance began feeling more like cognitive overflow. If that was a thing. Maybe Jeno would have learned about it if he’d finished that course. 

“Okay. Jaemin. It’s nice to meet you. I think I need to, like… sleep on all this. This is a lot.”

“Is it? No pressure, you can take your time thinking of your wish. Whatever you need.”

“Yeah. I’m just going to… clean up.” Jeno made his way over to the downed pot and started scooping fistfuls of dirt back inside. Jaemin had turned to watch him, then scurried over and helped him scoop. They made quick work of it together, but Jeno was going to need to try to dig out the vacuum from somewhere in his closet to finish the job. If it was still there… and functional. 

When Jeno stood up to bring the pot into the kitchen to dump, Jaemin stuck close by, trailing just behind him like a shadow. Jeno wasn’t sure how to ask politely for a little personal space, so he tried to pretend the plant-man wasn’t looming behind him as he threw away the pot, washed his hands, and searched for the stick-vac (it wasn’t in the closet, but it was (!) behind his ratty old couch, along with a charger that went missing months ago). The sound the vacuum made when it turned on startled Jaemin enough that Jeno finally got some space, as the other boy ducked around the other side of the bed. He peered over with cautious eyes as Jeno got rid of the mess. Jeno ended up doing a thorough sweep of his full room since he had already started, though Jaemin practically vaulted back over the bed when he came around to that side. Jeno fought down a fond chuckle at the sight. It was way too early to be thinking fond thoughts about the strange boy, but that wasn’t stopping some part of his mind from thinking them.

When he finally flicked off the vacuum, Jeno turned to Jaemin with a more welcoming smile than he’d been able to muster earlier. “So, do seed-people eat?”

Wish seeds did eat, apparently, and quite a lot. Even more surprisingly, they also cooked. Jeno had just been planning to heat up some frozen pizza leftover from last week, but Jaemin protested and somehow managed to whip up an actual meal from Jeno’s sparse pantry, once the functions of the rice cooker were explained. They ate on the couch in front of Jeno’s laptop. Jeno had put on an old drama he had been planning to re-watch, hoping to discourage conversation until he could process what was going on. Jaemin didn’t seem to mind. He got very into the plot, gasping or laughing loudly when the scenes called for it. Jeno tried his best to pay attention too. It was a strange feeling to be eating with someone else in his apartment, he rarely had anyone else over. He felt oddly warm.

They watched through the mid-season finale in silence (other than Jaemin’s reactions), before Jeno realized he had better sleep soon or risk being completely useless at work the next day. He closed the laptop, got up, and stretched. 

“Will you be okay on the couch?” Jeno asked his guest. There weren’t really any other options, though he might have a futon tucked away somewhere. 

Luckily Jaemin was not going to make him look for it. “Yeah!”

Jeno wondered briefly if it was a good idea to just leave this guy in his living room as he slept, but hey, if Jaemin was going to do him harm he probably would have done so already, right? Satisfied with his logic, Jeno crawled into bed and went to sleep.

Jeno didn’t often dream of unpleasant things, likely because he made it a point not to think about them at all. He was an expert at changing the topic in his own thoughts when they strayed too close to painful memories. But maybe having someone else spend the night in his home triggered something, because he opened his dreaming eyes to the sight of his father sitting on their family’s old leather armchair typing furiously on his laptop, back in his parents’ old house.

He knew this scene; he’d seen it many times. It was only a few months after his mom had left on her seven-year mars mission, and only a few weeks after Jeno started college. A few weeks before his dad left. His dad had completely fallen apart and couldn’t handle missing her, even though he’d never said anything in the years leading up to her departure. He’d thrown himself into his work at his tech firm, working into the late hours and essentially ignoring Jeno as much as he could. Jeno had missed his mom too, of course, but that was something he’d seen coming, part and parcel of having an astronaut for a parent. But he hadn’t foreseen losing his second parent at the same time. Jeno did his best to keep up with his classes and keep things together at home while his father busied himself with work. He cooked and cleaned and reminded his dad of important dates, but none of it was enough. He got home from class one day to find the armchair empty, his father’s room emptied out. There was a note left on the table, a paltry explanation—an abrupt promotion at work, they needed his father to fly out to Europe immediately where he would be based for the next few years. He’d be very busy with his projects and likely wouldn’t be able to visit. Once he set up a phone line that could make international calls he would be in touch. That was it, no goodbye, no apologies, not even an ‘I love you.’ Jeno had packed his own bags and moved in with Renjun and Donghyuck where he’d stayed until he found his current apartment. He couldn’t bear to be alone in his old family home. 

In this dream, things went differently than they had those many months ago. His father sat on the armchair typing away and didn’t react when Jeno called out to him. He didn’t acknowledge Jeno at all as he sat a full meal on the side table, or when he offered a throw blanket when it got cold, or when he asked if he would be going to sleep soon since it was getting late. It was only when Jeno stopped bringing him things and asking him questions that his father looked up and shut his laptop. 

“Why are you so needy, Jeno? Can’t you see I’m busy? I can’t stand living here with you, I’m leaving.”

And in the dream, Jeno couldn’t move or speak anymore, he could only watch his father pack up and walk out, leaving him behind.

It wasn’t the flush of emotion that woke him, but the sound of his bedroom door opening. He roused blearily and blinked away sleep sand and tears. Jaemin stood in his doorway, his gentle smile lit by the glow of the streetlamps through Jeno’s window. It was still night.

“Jeno, I got bored, can I lie down with you?” 

Jeno was maybe too sleepy to properly consider the question, but not being alone sounded very good to him, so he grunted in affirmation. He dozed back off as Jaemin climbed under his covers. He didn’t dream again that night, but in the morning, he could recall the sensation of gentle fingers stroking through his hair. 

Jaemin was gone from the bed when he woke, but Jeno found his guest in his kitchen setting down two bowls of oatmeal. 

“Good morning, Jeno!” 

“Uh, hi Jaemin. Is that for me?”

“Yeah! I know you usually grab something quick to eat en-route, but please sit with me this morning?”

Well, who was Jeno to refuse? He’d woken up with a few minutes to spare so he was able to take his time to eat with Jaemin. Jaemin had many questions about the various devices around the house, so Jeno gave him a quick tour afterwards, but he then needed to dress in a hurry to be able to catch his bus. 

“Sorry, Jaemin, I need to go! Make yourself at home!” He called as he departed, as if the other boy hadn’t already done so.

Jeno’s workday was as boring as ever but thinking about returning home to another drama marathon with Jaemin made the day less arduous than usual. As he packed up to leave, his phone lit up with a text from Renjun.

 _Renjun_ : Dinner at the café in 45

 _Me_ : Sorry, I’m not feeling great. Rain check? 

He tucked his phone away with the rest of his things and headed home, feeling slightly nervous. He’d had almost twenty-four hours to process the transformation of his plant and come to terms with it, and he thought he was doing remarkably well. There was a boy waiting for him at home, who had shared his bed last night, claimed to grant wishes, and used to be his houseplant. And Jeno wasn’t freaking out about it, so, that was probably a good sign. But he also desperately needed some questions answered. 

He took a deep breath outside his apartment before unlocking the door, bracing himself to dive straight into it. He stopped short as his door swung open, distracted from his mission by momentary confusion. The living area he walked into was so well lit and tidy he thought for a moment he’d walked into the wrong apartment and had to glance back and confirm the number on his door. Had Jaemin changed the bulb over the door? Where had he put all the… stuff?

“Jeno, you’re home!” Jaemin greeted him from the kitchen, which was filled with bags and various groceries. Jeno balked at the volume of new goods and hurried in to help put things away. Was that a bowl of apples and bananas? Jeno couldn’t actually remember the last time he’d eaten fresh fruit. Jaemin had also gotten a bunch of canned goods and baking supplies, and was that beef? Damn, Jaemin must have emptied the stash of grocery money he kept in the cutlery drawer. 

“Hey, Jaemin. So, what’s all this?”

“Well you really didn’t have a whole lot of food around, so I went and got us some groceries! And also threw out some of the old stuff that had gone bad and was hiding in the back of the ice box.”

“Oh, that’s really nice, but like… I usually have to stick to a tighter grocery budget?” That’s mostly because he spent most of his food money on takeout, to be fair. His job may be boring, but he wasn’t paid starvation wages, at least.

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m great at bargaining!”

This statement only made Jeno worry more, but he didn’t want to add another question to his list, so he decided to pretend it made sense. He finished putting the groceries away, then gestured for Jaemin to join him on his couch. Jaemin reached eagerly for the laptop, but Jeno was quick to set his hand over the computer lid before his guest could get them launched into another drama episode.

“So, um, magic?” Whoops, that wasn’t quite the opener he’d prepared. He tried again. “So, magic is a thing?” Also not quite right, but got the right idea across. Jaemin looked a little surprised at the non-sequitur, but seemed happy enough to entertain the question.

“Yes, magic is _a thing_ , Jeno, of course! I’m here, aren’t I?” He laughed, his pearl white teeth glinting. 

“Well, okay, but how come I haven’t seen any magic before then? How come everyone says magic isn’t real?”

“Ah…” Jaemin’s expression turned more somber. “Well, there isn’t very much magic left in the world, just little things. Wish seeds like me, for example, though our numbers have definitely dwindled too. And I think humans have forgotten how to really notice magic, honestly.”

Jeno felt a little bad for asking now that Jaemin looked so sad. “I’m sorry, Jaemin…”

“It’s alright,” Jaemin smiled again, even if not as brightly. “It used to be that wish seeds like me were widely coveted for our power, people would fight over us and ask us to do terrible things when we would sprout for them. I may not get to bloom very often anymore, but when I do, it’s by kind people like you, who don’t have any expectations. You’re a lot more worthy of a wish since you don’t know about magic, that’s how I feel at least!”

Something warm blossomed in Jeno’s chest, tempered only by the vague sense that he’d been insulted. “So, I’m more worthy because I’m clueless?”

“Yup!” Came the bright reply, and the two of them laughed.

Jeno popped open the laptop to get the next phase of their marathon started, but before he could press play, there was a knock at the door. Jaemin rose immediately and made to go open it, but Jeno caught him by the elbow and gently urged him to sit back down. The only people he could think of who might be knocking were his next-door neighbor who complains about “loud sounds” from his apartment even when he’s literally not doing anything, or his overly-friendly and yet still kind of mean landlady who sometimes popped by to chat. It would probably be best if they didn’t find out he had someone else staying in his apartment yet, at least until he could check his copy of the lease and make sure he wasn’t breaking any rules.

The knocking came again, sounding a bit more impatient. Jeno raised a finger to his lips in a request for Jaemin to stay quiet before he walked over and pulled open the door.

“Surprise!” shouted a truly surprising Donghyuck from his hallway. Renjun stood beside his boyfriend holding a large takeout bag. Jeno’s friends rarely ever visited him, he usually went to their place since it was so much roomier. “Since you’re not feeling well, we brought some food—chicken noodle was the soup of the day at the café, so that worked out well, huh?”

Jeno stood there for a moment, unsure how to respond, mild panic starting to build. Renjun narrowed his eyes after a few seconds too long of a pause. “What’s wrong with you, anyways? You look fine.”

“Uhhhh, you know, I just have this feeling like maybe I’m coming down with something? Might be contagious, so I don’t know if this is a great—”

“You’re not feeling well, Jeno?” Jaemin called from the couch, and Jeno’s mind went blank. Renjun and Donghyuck perked up like sharks smelling blood, except more frightening because Jeno had never been so close to sharks before, but his best friends were a mere arm’s length away.

“Who is that, Jeno?” Renjun asked in a careful tone. 

Oh no. Renjun was pissed. Jeno’s arm twitched reflexively to start closing the door out of self preservation, but it was far too late. Renjun pushed past him with surprising strength, Donghyuck at his heels. 

“Oh, hello!” Jaemin greeted them. “You must be Renjun and Donghyuck!”

“That would be us, yeah. Now who are you? Jeno hasn’t mentioned you.”

Jeno was quick to respond before Jaemin could do anything wild like answer Renjun’s question. “Oh, well, um, this is Jaemin? My…” Magical plant turned new roommate? “Boyfriend?” Ooh, that might have been worse.

Donghyuck’s jaw dropped while the furrow in Renjun’s brow grew so deep he might be able to use it to bury Jeno’s body when he’s done with him. 

“A boyfriend? Interesting. How long has that been going on, hmm?”

“Not long, I swear—”

“Two days!” Jaemin cuts Jeno off cheerily from the couch. 

“Oh? Where did you two meet? Jeno, you barely go anywhere but work, the cafe, and on the rare occasions we can convince you to visit us, our apartment.”

Jeno thought quickly. “The florist’s shop.” 

“The florist’s shop? Where Yangyang works?”

Crap. “You know Yangyang?”

“ _You_ know Yangyang? You haven’t been to a social event that me or Hyuck haven’t dragged you to in almost a year, and suddenly you’re mister popular? A new boyfriend out of nowhere, and new friends?”

“I… I thought you wanted me to get out of the house and meet more people? You guys have been telling me I needed to for ages.”

“Yeah, but we didn’t want you to keep it a secret from us! Are we not your best friends, Jeno? What gives?” Donghyuck interrupts, and now Jeno’s guilt has overtaken any shred of fear in him. 

“I’m sorry, guys, I know I should have told you earlier, like as soon as the two of us met. It’s just, it’s so soon? I felt like I needed to wrap my own mind around things first. You guys know how long I’ve been,” alone. “Single. I swear I wasn’t going to keep him a secret for much longer. I share everything with you guys, you know I do!”

“Do you?” Renjun questions, and oh, there’s that fear again. How can he be so scary when he’s talking in such a measured voice? Jeno shouldn’t be so scared of a boy so much smaller than him, and whom he could and has taken down in a tickle fight in seconds. And yet, here he was, metaphorically shitting himself. “Do you really, Jeno? Maybe you used to tell us everything when we were younger, but it’s been over a year since I was confident that I really knew what was going on in your mind. Ever since your dad left—” 

Jeno swayed like he was physically pushed and Renjun cut himself off, still seething. Jaemin had been still until that point, but he then sidled up next to Jeno and slipped his hand around his, offering a quiet comfort.

Donghyuck looked back and forth between Renjun and Jeno and sighed. “He doesn’t mean it like that, Jeno. We know that it’s been rough for you, especially since then. It’s just, you used to be the one telling us when things were bothering you, now we’re doing our best to pick up hints on our own since you won’t talk to us about anything important anymore. As your best friends, it’s been hard, you know? You didn’t even tell us when your grandparents moved, just mentioned it in passing a few weeks after the fact. Like, what the hell? We want to be here for you Jeno, but we need to know when you need us. We try to pay attention to the little things, but even then it feels like we keep messing up? We know you hate your job and it stresses you out, but when we try to get you to vent about it you clam up. You used to be the tidiest out of all of us, so we thought maybe cleaning your space would help you out but when Renjun broke out your broom and tried to clean your kitchen this past winter, you just shut down super hard. We haven’t actually been here since then, since it felt like we had intruded so badly. But here you are with Mr. Pinky who you met at a flower shop two days ago and he’s allowed to follow you home? Did you let him clean up this place for you? Or did suddenly meeting him encourage you to get your act together? We weren’t enough?”

“I, Hyuck, no, you’ve got it wrong,” Jeno tried to comfort his friend and defend himself at the same time. “You guys are—I don’t know where I would be right now without you guys, I know I’m a mess but without you I would be so much worse, I don’t know how I would manage. You’re more than enough, I swear, you’re everything I have left!”

“Everything except your secret boyfriend!” Renjun spat. “Whatever. I’m glad we brought enough food to share, you and Jaemin can have at it. Talk to us when you have an actual apology and explanation.” With that, Renjun dropped the bag on the floor and stormed out of the apartment. 

Donghyuck followed after his boyfriend but turned at the threshold to cast one last accusing glare over his shoulder. “You better fucking call when you get it together, Jeno, and it better be good,” he punctuated his words with a stabbing finger point then slammed the door behind him.

Jeno stared at the closed door as a burning sensation crept up from his chest to his throat. Jaemin made a soothing sound and tried to gently maneuver him back to the couch. Jeno sat after some coaxing and complied when Jaemin pulled him to lean against his side. Jaemin rubbed his bicep soothingly as he opened the laptop with his free hand and navigated to the streaming menu. The page was open to the drama they had started the day before.

“Here, let’s put on a film that’s happier, huh?” Jaemin said with a soft voice, clumsily using the laptop trackpad to look at the options.

Jeno had to clear his throat before he could actually respond. “No, it’s okay, you can just put on the next episode from what we watched yesterday.” Jaemin had been really into it, and Jeno probably wouldn’t focus that well on anything anyways.

“Oh, I figured out how to play it while you were at work, so I actually already finished it, I’m sorry! But it was also really sad in the second half, so we should watch something else anyway. How does this one sound?” Jaemin clicked on a brightly colored image that looked like it might be a kid’s show, then couldn’t seem to figure out how to go back to the menu with the rest of the options. “Yeah, this one is probably good,” he decided after a few futile moments of fiddling.

Normally Jeno would have laughed at that, but he just sighed and pressed his cheek into Jaemin’s shoulder. He felt more wrung out than he had in ages, drained dry of effort and emotion. He just felt like a blob of static. The show began to play but Jeno couldn’t focus on it, couldn’t focus on anything. If he let himself come back into focus he might think about what had just happened and how desperately, desperately alone he was.

Jaemin’s grip grew more firm, coaxing Jeno to snuggle a little closer. Alone except for the plant boy, a practical stranger who really shouldn’t need to be taking care of him like this. God, he was such a mess. 

“Sorry, Jaemin,” Jeno tried to sit up, but Jaemin just hushed him and started combing his fingers through his hair, and who was Jeno to argue with that? He settled again.

“Jeno, your friends might be mad, but you know they haven’t left for good, right? They wouldn’t do that. They just need some time to calm down.”

Jeno grunted as an acknowledgement that he heard and nuzzled further into the head scritches. He didn’t want to think about this right now. How would Jaemin know, anyways?

“I’m serious, mister! They love you a lot, they’re just hurt. They aren’t giving up on you. It’s going to be okay.”

“Do I need to wish it?”

Jaemin laughed. “No wish needed for that one, I promise that. Without an ounce of magic, your friendship will be just fine.”

It did make Jeno feel a little better to hear that reassurance. Never had his best friends been so angry at him before, though…“So, how does the wish thing work, anyways? What happens when I choose my wish?”

“Well, I go ahead and grant it! You grew me really well so I should have enough magic for whatever wish you choose.”

“So whatever I ask for just, happens? Then what? What do you do next?”

“I’ll spend all the sprouting magic to make the wish happen, and then I’ll pop back into seed form for you to pass along to someone else down the line!”

Jaemin would leave once the wish thing was done? “Oh… could I grow you again afterwards then?”

“Nope, I can only sprout once for a person, so you’d need to pass me along. It also takes a few years before I’d be ready to plant again. So yeah, best to think about your wish carefully!” Jaemin laughed and the motion made Jeno’s head shake just like it felt like his heart was doing.

“Mhm,” he acknowledged before pretending to pay attention to the show. Jaemin continued stroking his hair and Jeno fought through his troubled thoughts to clear his mind. Before long, he dozed off.

He woke up in bed the next morning, by force of habit rather than his alarm. He felt around for his phone, confused, only to find it in the pocket of the pants he hadn’t changed out of. 18% battery, and thirty minutes before he had to leave for work. Struggling out of bed, he changed into a fresher outfit and staggered out to the bathroom. 

“Jeno!” Jaemin called from the kitchen when Jeno was finished. “Breakfast!”

Jeno quickly weighed the pros and cons of ignoring him to lie down for another fifteen minutes, but the smell of bacon wafted down the hallway and his stomach growled, making the decision for him. 

He teetered into the kitchen, flinching slightly at the bright overhead light. Jaemin ushered him into the chair facing an abundant spread of fried eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast. Jeno went straight in for the bacon.

“How are you feeling?” Jaemin asked, spooning some eggs onto the plate and subtly nudging the fork closer to Jeno’s hand. Jeno wiped the bacon grease from his fingers onto a napkin and picked up the utensil as prompted. 

“Not great.” He sighed. “I kind of just want to sleep for another hour or five.”

“I’m sorry,” Jaemin frowned. “I tried to help you rest…”

“I’m sure I slept more than enough, thanks Jaemin. For the breakfast too. I really appreciate it. I’m just, like, a bit emotionally drained.” 

“Ah,” Jaemin set about smoothing down Jeno’s hair into a more presentable state. “Last night was a little intense. But remember, Jeno, Renjun and Donghyuck just need to cool down, they didn’t leave for good.” Jaemin finished his little styling session with a light kiss to the crown of Jeno’s head. “You’ll be okay.”

“I’ll be okay, but I really hurt them. I don’t know how I’ll make it up to them, Jaemin. They’d be better off without me, probably.” A tightness built up in his throat and he set down his fork. “You probably would be better off if someone else had planted you, too, you’re basically just taking care of me like I’m not able to take care of myself. I’m sorry, that’s not fair to you at all.”

“Shh,” Jaemin cut him off with a firm pat to the head. “You’re having a tough time right now, of course I don’t mind helping. Neither do Renjun and Donghyuck, you know. And don’t forget, you took care of me for months! It’s not easy work to sprout a wish seed, you know. It’s only fair I give you a little nurturing in return, hmm?”

Jeno didn’t really think watering a plant compared to cleaning an entire apartment, materializing groceries, cooking multiple meals, and the emotional labor of comforting a fully-grown man. He was going to need to do a little better, even if he did feel like crap. 

“Thanks for everything, Jaemin, I’m going to get it together, I swear. I think I need to head out to work now, though.” He pulled out his phone for a time check but was surprised to see a message from his supervisor.

 _Boss_ : Power outage in the office; utility company says major problem will take all day to fix. Don’t come in.

Huh. Maybe karma cut him a little break, even if he didn’t really deserve it. He pocketed the phone again. “Or not, looks like I have a surprise day off.” He stretched and yawned, tension easing slightly now that he was suddenly work-obligation free. 

Jaemin clapped excitedly. “Wonderful! Do you want to nap? Or maybe watch some more dramas with me?”

Jeno smiled slightly at the enthusiasm. “Not sure… maybe we could watch them in my bed? That sounds like a comfortable middle ground. Don’t hold it against me if I fall asleep, though, okay?”

Jaemin grabbed the laptop as Jeno finished shoveling down the rest of his breakfast. They snuggled into bed and watched the first few episodes of a new romantic comedy drama that was cute but not particularly memorable before Jeno was lulled back to sleep, arm wrapped loosely around Jaemin’s waist and head pillowed on his chest. 

He woke having won the nap-lottery, feeling unexpectedly refreshed instead of like complete death as he usually did when he slept in the middle of the day. Jaemin had continued the show without him, but the plot was so wonderfully predictable that Jeno was able to tune back in without feeling like he had missed much. 

As the episode end credits rolled, Jeno sat up and stretched, humming along. 

“Good morning again, Jeno,” Jaemin laughed as he also stretched out. “By the way, you’ve had two days, have you thought of a wish yet?”

The refreshed feeling faded a little as Jeno recalled their conversation from the night before. “Oh,” he said, “Not yet, no.”

“Well, let me know when you do!” Jaemin smiled warmly and Jeno couldn’t help but smile back, even if he wasn’t feeling it.

They lounged together for a few hours more, only getting up for lunch. Jaemin had put away the takeout Renjun and Hyuck had brought last night, and when he started heating it up Jeno hesitated, the memory souring the rich smell filling the kitchen. But the food from Ten’s café was the best comfort food there was, so he did dig in.

Jaemin noticed his hesitation. “Maybe you should call them, Jeno?” He suggested between bites of a chicken sandwich as Jeno slowly slurped his soup.

“I still need to think of a good excuse to tell them about you. I can’t just tell them you’re a magic plant, they’ll think I’ve gone nuts.”

“I mean, I don’t think there was any problem with your cover story from last night, it was maybe the delivery that could have been better? They don’t really care that I’m here, they care that you won’t let them be here for you like this.”

“I… well I need to think of a better excuse and apology for that then. And they deserve a little time without me bugging them I think.”

“Jeno,” Jaemin’s fingers circled his wrist. “You wouldn’t be bugging them. They want you to talk to them, remember?”

“Yeah…” But Jeno didn’t feel ready to talk. “Tomorrow I’ll call them, I won’t put it off too long.”

Jaemin squeezed his wrist lightly and relented. When they finished their meals, he broke out the slice of chocolate cake that Renjun had tucked in the bottom of the bag (“Feel better, Jeno!” Kun, the café’s chef, had written on top of the carton) and the two of them shared it. 

Jeno was ready to go right back to bed afterwards, but Jaemin convinced him to take him on a short walk around the neighborhood. It did feel nice to get some fresh air, and he pointed out a couple of landmarks (“That’s Ten’s café, where our lunch was from. His husband Kun is Renjun’s cousin, so we spend a lot of time there,” and “That’s the flower shop I got your plant stuff from,” and “That’s the park we go to sometimes after dark; technically it’s not legal but no one cares and it’s fun to climb the jungle gym when there’s no kids around,” and “That’s the bus stop.”) At Jaemin’s urging, they checked out the local thrift store and found a couple comfortable outfits for Jaemin, along with a wacky hat the pink haired boy refused to be parted with. Wallet a few dollars lighter but heart significantly fuller, Jeno taught Jaemin how to take selfies before they headed back to the apartment. They picked up their marathon where they left off and Jeno fell asleep next to Jaemin again.

Morning brought another workday, but one Jeno felt moderately more prepared to face. He had hoped to maybe wake up before Jaemin that time to beat him to breakfast-making, but was thwarted again despite his best efforts. He wondered if maybe wish seeds didn’t sleep. 

“Good morning, Jaemin,” he greeted the other with a back hug as Jaemin fried some eggs at the stove. 

“Good morning, Jeno!” Jaemin smiled. He looked a little tired that morning, and Jeno gently grabbed the spatula and nudged him out the way to take over. He could cook some eggs, it had just been a while since he’d bothered to. 

“Have you thought anymore about your wish, Jeno?”

“No, I still don’t have any ideas.” He was going to put that off for as long as Jaemin let him, thank you very much.

“Okay, well, let me know!”

“I will!” Jeno served up their breakfast and took off to the bus stop after recommending a couple more shows for Jaemin to tackle while he was gone. 

Work was tedious but less stressful than usual, as some of the systems had yet to be reinstated. Jeno certainly wasn’t going to complain. He spent his free time on his phone, smiling when he spotted the series of selfies Jaemin had left on his phone the night before. It looked like he had figured out how to use filters. 

He stopped by the café on his way home to pick up some dinner. Ten quirked an eyebrow at him from behind the counter when he placed his order before disappearing into the back. When Kun personally stepped out of the kitchen with Jeno’s order, Jeno felt a looming sense of dread.

“Hey, Jeno, long time no see! We’ve missed you around here!”

“Hi Kun, I’m sorry I haven’t popped by in a while, things are a little strange right now.”

“I get that,” Kun smiled beatifically. “Hey, could we talk for a minute?”

“Ah, I’m sorry, I really am in a rush at the moment,” Jeno stammered.

“Oh, I won’t keep you then. Could you give me a call when you have a chance though?” Kun handed over the takeout bag but didn’t let go right away. “And by the way, I know Renjun is a bit miffed at the moment but he’s already complaining about missing you. Just wanted you to know.” With that, Kun relinquished the bag with another smile and slipped back into the kitchen.

Right, Jeno needed to call Renjun and Donghyuck today like he told Jaemin he would. He wondered how much they had told Kun about what happened at his apartment the day before. Kun didn’t seem too mad at him, so maybe not much? Or maybe he was just going to chew Jeno out by phone if he did call him like he’d asked. Jeno probably ought to make amends with his best friends first… though he still wasn’t sure what he would tell them. 

Immersed in his worries, Jeno didn’t pay as much attention to his surroundings as he usually would have, and roughly bumped shoulders with another pedestrian as he headed home.

“Oh, sorry about that--“ he turned to apologize, only to find himself face to face with Renjun, who was clearly on his way to the café. Renjun looked just as surprised as Jeno, but when he spotted Jeno’s take out bag, his surprised expression turned into a nasty glare. Before Jeno could say anything else Renjun turned on his heels and entered the café, leaving Jeno alone on the sidewalk.

Jeno stared at the entrance for a moment, blinking back sudden tears. Kun had been wrong; miffed was a massive understatement for what Renjun must actually be feeling, and judging by that glare, he must not miss Jeno one bit. He probably never wanted to see him again. 

Jeno forced himself to turn away and head back to his apartment, one leaden step after another. He couldn’t have a breakdown in the middle of the sidewalk, he needed to keep moving. Maybe if he could keep himself from thinking about it until he got there, Jaemin would help distract him and he wouldn’t have to think about the pain in his chest till it had faded.

“Jeno!” Jaemin cheerfully called from the couch when he walked in, though he didn’t rise to greet him. He was tucked under a throw blanket, and looked a little worn out. His face was a little pale, and his hair was less vibrant than Jeno had remembered it looking that morning. Jeno plopped the takeout bag on the coffee table and divvied up the spoils while Jaemin excitedly told him about the new series he’d been watching that day, a historical drama that was “actually accurate on a lot of the details!” He smiled widely when Jeno handed him his chicken sandwich and insisted they watch the first episode together while they ate.

Jaemin looked a bit more energized when they had finished eating, but declined when Jeno suggested they take another walk. “I’m feeling a little tired. Besides, shouldn’t you call Renjun and Donghyuck?”

“Ah, I think I need a little more time. Or, to give them a little more time? I’ll call them tomorrow.”

Jaemin frowned and Jeno’s heart twinged with the realization he had disappointed him, but Jaemin didn’t press further. 

Jeno had been planning to bring Jaemin to see the river and pick up some ice cream, but without any backup plan, they just cuddled up in bed to watch more shows. Tomorrow was Saturday, they could be more adventurous then, Jeno rationalized to himself. For now, he had no qualms with another lazy evening with good company. He drifted off to sleep after several more episodes of the historical drama.

He was shaken awake the next morning far earlier than he would normally wake up. The sky outside was dark gray and while it was late enough the streetlamps had shut off it was barely past dawn. Jeno tried sticking his head under his pillow to get back to sleep but he was just shaken again and his pillow was confiscated. He blinked up at Jaemin blearily.

“Quick, Jeno, please tell me you’ve decided on a wish?”

It took a few tries for Jeno to get his tongue working “Jaemin, what time is it?” He reached out for the pillow but Jaemin tossed it to the ground.

“I’m sorry Jeno but it’s important. I thought I had more time but I’m running out of energy way faster than I thought I would. I’ve never stuck around in this form for so long before, I never realized how much magic it took up. I’m scared if you don’t make your wish really soon, I’m not going to have enough magic left to grant it.”

Fear and worry crashed over Jeno like he’d been doused in cold water. He grabbed for his glasses and peered more closely at Jaemin. Jaemin’s hair had faded even further, now more grey than pink. Jeno ran his fingers over Jaemin’s cheek, noting heavy dark circles set in under his eyes. “Oh, Jaemin…”

“It’s okay, Jeno, I’m not hurting or anything. But I feel like I’m going to wilt any minute. I need you to make your wish before it’s too late.”

“I don’t… but there isn’t anything I need, I don’t have any wish to make!”

“Jeno… I know there’s a lot that worries and bothers you. I know you work too hard at a job that bores you. I know you miss your parents, and your grandparents too for that matter. I know you feel bad for not having finished college. I know you’re worried that Renjun and Hyuck might leave you too. There’s so much that makes you so worried you just refuse to think about it, but I could solve any one of those worries for you! Please, Jeno, it’s not a bad thing to ask for help—whether that’s making a wish or relying on your friends for that matter. Please, let me help you while I still can.”

“Jaemin…” Jeno was tearing up. “I don’t need any of those things. All I want is for you to stay with me, can’t you just stay with me like you’ve been doing?”

“I can’t, Jeno… wish seeds aren’t meant to bloom forever, we can’t take these forms indefinitely. I know I look human like this, Jeno, but I’m not one.” 

“What if… Jaemin, have you ever thought of what it would be like to be human? Is it that much worse than being a wish seed?”

“No! Of course being human isn’t bad, Jeno. It seems pretty wonderful, actually,” Jaemin laughs weakly. “Being a wish seed can be really lonely, you know. We spend so long waiting to be grown, then people make their wishes and we’re right back to our seed forms. Humans get to grow and interconnect in ways that last, in ways that matter. You and Renjun and Donghyuck, you got to sprout together, and you’re still intertwined together, that’s so wonderful. But we wish seeds don’t get to have things like that.”

“What if you could have that too? Could I wish for you to be human? Then you could stay, right?”

Jaemin looked dumbfounded for a moment, before his face split into a grin. “Yes! Yes, Jeno, you could wish that!” He laughed.

“Then that’s what my wish is! I wish for you to become human!”

Jaemin’s eyes began to glow golden as soon as the words were uttered, and Jeno watched the light spread outwards from his face through the rest of his body until the room was lit as brightly as the noon sun and Jeno had to avert his eyes. When the light faded, he looked back at Jaemin, blinking away swimming spots.

A black-haired Jaemin beamed back at him, then tackled him into a hug, even warmer than he had felt previously. “Thank you, Jeno, thank you! Oh my gosh, I’m so excited! I can’t wait to do things like, like, make friends, and do paperwork like in the dramas, and get a cellular phone, and oh my gosh—I can do sleeping! I wonder if I’ll get dreams. This is so neat, I have to try right now.”

Jaemin fished Jeno’s pillow off the floor and pulled the covers over them both, nestling down with a happy sigh. Jeno wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him closer. Jaemin dropped off to sleep almost immediately, but Jeno was wide awake after all that excitement. He stroked through Jaemin’s hair and watched the other sleep, heart full, at peace in a way he hadn’t been in a very long time. 

After a few hours, Jeno’s phone started to ring. He quickly picked up and slipped out the bedroom, careful not to wake Jaemin.

“Hello?” he answered at the whisper, retreating to the living room.

“Jeno, it’s us,” came Renjun’s voice. “Hey, I know I blew up at you before and glared you away yesterday, but Donghyuck and I have been talking--“

“Mostly me, thank you very much!” Donghyuck cut in.

“Yes, okay, maybe Hyuck brought it up first, but I picked up the damn phone first so calm down, babe. Anyways, both of us wanted to apologize, we should have cut you some more slack.”

“Actually,” Jeno started as he dropped down on the couch, “I think I owe both of you an apology. Or, multiple apologies, really. I’m really sorry for the way I’ve been treating you. You’ve been better friends to me than I deserve, I just got it in my head that if I showed you guys that I was struggling you wouldn’t want to put up with me anymore. But you guys know me better than anyone, so you both knew I wasn’t doing great anyways… so all I was doing was blocking you out and pushing you away. I love you guys, I’m sorry I made you feel like you weren’t the most important people in my life anymore, because you seriously are. I’m so lucky to have you.”

“Damn right you are!”

“Shut up, Donghyuck, he’s being sappy! We love you too, you massive dumbass. Maybe we should’ve been pushier from the start, I think we were being too cautious and it gave you the wrong signals. We will always be here for you, you know.”

“I know. And I am really sorry about not telling you guys about Jaemin earlier. Our meeting was really sudden, but I think he’s going to be sticking around. I’d love it if you guys could meet again in a more planned way. Would you like to come over for dinner tonight? I’ll cook if you guys bring some dessert!”

“You’re cooking again?” Donghyuck sounded impressed. “Yeah, we’ll definitely be there, that sounds great. I’ll get all dressed up to make a good impression too. Better watch your man, Jeno, or I’ll woo him away if you’re not careful!” 

Jeno laughed. “Don’t be greedy, Hyuck, you already have your own boyfriend! And don’t do anything that might provoke Renjun into stabbing you in my apartment, I’m not sure I have enough cleaning supplies to clean up the evidence.”

“I wouldn’t be sloppy, Jeno, don’t worry,” Renjun assured him. Jeno could hear Donghyuck squawk and whine in the background after Renjun’s retaliatory smack. “By the way, Kun wanted me to remind you to call him. I don’t want to ruin any surprises but before you can get yourself worked up over it, it’s good news. I think you’ll like it.” There was a loud thunk and Renjun yelped. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go remind my boyfriend that maybe he shouldn’t mess with the person who knows all of his most ticklish spots.”

“No, wait, Jun—” the line cut off and Jeno laughed. Some things never changed.

He rung up Kun right after, setting the phone between his ear and his shoulder as he wandered into the kitchen and took note of the cupboard contents.

“Jeno! Thanks for calling. I have some news I wanted to share and a proposition for you I think you might be interested in. Ten and I are working on expanding the café, we’re taking over the storefront next door and I think we’re going to increase our hours of operation too. All that means we’re going to be looking to take on some new staff, both waitstaff and kitchen help. I know you’ve never worked in food service before, but I remember you used to enjoy cooking a lot when you were younger and Renjun has been telling me you’re not very happy at your current job. I’d love to offer you a position here, I’ll train you on everything you need to know. What do you think?”

Jeno’s phone slipped off his shoulder when he jerked in surprise, but he managed to catch it before it landed. He cleared his throat and sat down at the kitchen table, clenching the phone tightly. “Wow… Kun, that sounds incredible, if you’re sure you want me, I would be thrilled to accept. That’s an amazing offer, I’m getting so excited already! I’ll have to put notice in at the office but give me two weeks and I am all yours.”

“Sounds great, that’ll line up perfectly with our schedule. I’ll tell Ten to call you later about the paperwork side of things to get that all finalized.”

“Thank you so much, Kun, I will work really hard.” Another thought occurred to Jeno. “I do have another request if it’s not too much trouble? I know you’re already kind of taking a risk on me, but I do have another friend who’s a great cook that I think might be a good fit too, and who might be looking for work soon.”

“If you vouch for him that means a lot, Jeno, I know you’re a good judge of character. Bring him by when you have a chance and I’ll give him an informal interview and see what he can do in the kitchen. No promises, but we can probably work something out. Sounds good?”

“Sounds amazing. You’re the best, Kun. I can’t wait to get started. Have a great day!”

“You too, Jeno, take care of yourself!” Kun hung up, leaving Jeno grinning excitedly to himself. 

He slipped back into his bedroom and curled back up next to Jaemin. He couldn’t wait to share the news once he was awake. Things were really looking up. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Please leave kudos/comments if you want to grant my wish haha
> 
> [Here's my twitter!](https://twitter.com/hyuckaboo)


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